The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-20
a STRANGE STORY.
Eventful Experiences Related by an
Ex-Policenan.
From the PhaadeIphia Inqnirer.


From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
There is at present residing in this city a
gentleman the story of whose life is replete
with dramatic incidents, the chapters of
whose experiences, as related by him to re-
porter last night, would form the ground
work of an interesting romance. Among his
many friends here, for he has made many
warm attachments since he adopted this city
as his place Of abode he is known as Mr..
John F. Won Muegge. In reality, he says,
he is Baron Won Muegge, of Baden-Baden,
| Germany
He is now in his 3Sth year, and the last
three years of his life have been spent as a
simple patrolman on the police force of Phil
adelphia. On April last the official az of
Director Stokley severed his connection with
the force, and now for special reasons that
| Will appear further Oh, he Is using every
effort that he and his friends can exert to
| have himself reinStated on the force.
Baron Won Muegge is the son Of a wealthy
| family of Baden-Baden, and during his
| minority was educated at the military acad-
| envy of Hanover, where he was prepared
for the German army On his graduation
| he became lieutenant in the army, serving
| III a German command known as st. Jacobs
| battalion. AT that time Baden-Baden was
in the zenith of its fame as a gay watering
place, and was as much renowned for the
| brilliancy of its fetes and balls and for the
| gilded splendor of its gambling casinos and
saloons as Monte Carlo is to-day.
GAY YOUNG OFFICER
| The Baron was as gay young army Off
Ger as any in the command, and was fire.
| quent visitor at the balls and halls of pleas
ure At prominent ball held at the Casino
| at the gay resort, some fifteen years ago,
Baron Won Muegge was one of the special
| guests Leaning affectionately on his arm
as she entered the brilliantly lighted ball
room was beautiful young Swiss girl well
| known by all OF the guests at the leading
hotels as one of the most attractive and
fascinating young bellies Of the season.
Standing opposite the couple as they
entered the ballroom was Count de Weston
| hague, prominent member of the German
nobility Count de Westonhague was alone,
| the young lady whom he had expected to
| escort TO the ball having sent him word that
| sickness neceSsitated her remaining at home
| The beauty of the fair partner of the Baron
| at once attracted the Count, and being on
| good terms with her escort, he requested an
| introduction.
The request being complied with the
| Count asked for the lady's dancing card,
and with her permission wrote his name
! opposite several Of the dances on the pro-
gramme. In the latter part of the evening
the fair belle entirely ignored her escort and
| spent the whole of her time in the company
of the Count This reused the indignation
of the Baron, and early the next morning
| seconds waited on his rival bearing a chal-
| lenge to mortal combat
| INDICATING HIS HONOR.
Preliminaries were duly arranged, and a
| few mornings after the occurrence at the
ball the duel took place The result of the
interchange of lead was a complete vindica-
cation, according to the rules of the code of
| honor, of the position of Baron Won Muegge.
! At the first fire his antagonist fell with q
| pistol ball in his side but few Inches below
| the heart.
| He lay for many weeks with his life hang
| ing in the balance of the scales of fate, but
| finally recovered from the wound The
| laws in Germany were very strict against
| duellng, and it became necessary for Baron
| Won Muegge to seek another country as a
haven of refuge. He accordingly gathered
| together all his effects, with what money he
could command, and escaped to America.
At first he remained in New York, but the
ebb Of his fortunes making efforts to sustain
life necessary, he finally drifted to Virginia
and became member of the Third artil
lery, United States army, at Fortress Mon
roe, in that State
He remained in the army about two
| years, and then wandered pretty well ovel
the American continent About four and
a half years ago the news reached him in
San Francisco that his mother had died and
left will, whereby he became the heir tC
the bulk of her property. This consisted OF
over $1,000 in real estate, bonds and cash
The Baron Immediately repaired to the
scenes of his early life and laid claim to his
inheritance.
When he arrived at his old home he found
that by the will the estate was left t.
trustees, who were to pay the same over tC
| him, IL no dpDorto1 bimcalf in q iittiYcr ,,,a,,
ner and they thought he could be trusted
with the property. The trustees paid hin
$4,000 but the money only brought desire
for a return TO the associations of his youth
and in just two months not penny of i
was left. He then applied for more money
but was refused. A lawyer was next EN-
ployed and efforts made to secure the prop
: erty through the courts.
ON THE POLICE FORCE.
The result of the litigation was that thu
conrt made an order requiring him to serv,
four years on the police force of some city
before he could obtain his inheritance Ii
order to comply with this order he cam,
back to America, and for twomonths serveC
under ex-Superintendent Walling in New
York. He then came to Philadelphia anC
was in June, 1884, appointed on the force o
this city by Mayor Smith He served OF
the force of this city under Lieut.
Shields, of the Fourth district, up to Apri
z, when he was discharged from the force
the cause assigned being failure to report fo
duty at the proper time. During his servic
on the force he was specially valuable as az
interpreter, as he spoke French, German
Spanish and Italian fluently.
Baron Won Muegge is very anxious K
serve out the twelve months remaining il
order TO fulfill the conditions of the order o
, the German court, and is using ever,
effort TO have himself reinstated. A petition
bearing already some $50 Names anon;
them names of many well-known bushes;
men, is being circulated, and Influential
friends are exerting themselves in hi
behalf
: He claims that the offense for which h
was discharged, happened because he over
slept himself, and that he paid the fin
, usually exacted for such breaches of dut,
2 and the Lieutenant accepted the same. If h
, succeeds in getting back on the force tn
> money he will receive from Germany at tn
4 end Of the years service win amount b
p nearly 100000 This in brief is the full
story of life full of varied experiences a
{ related last night by the principal figure il
its history.
. DEPEW AND CONKLING.